Sectional filing-cabinet.



110.757,194. PATENTED APR.12,1904'.

11.1. HUBNING.

SBCTIONAL FILING CABINET.

v APPLIUATIOH FILED DBO. 27. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES e Patented April 1'2, 1904.,

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J.\HUEN1NG, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

sEc'noNAL FILING-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,194, dated April 12, 1904.

i Application filed December 27,1902. Serial No. 136,809. (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. HUENING, a citizen of the United States, residing atChicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Filing-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification. j

One of the objects of this invention is the production of a novel drawerlfor lilingcabinets.

A further object of the invention is the provision e of improved means for slidably supporting said drawer within the cabinet.`

The invention also ,refers to various other and further improvements to be hereinafter described. f

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical central sectional` view through one of the sections of my improved filing-cabinet. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on dotted line 2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a follower for the drawersv of this cabinet. Fig. 4 is a fragmental view illustrating a means for uniting adjacent cabinet-sections.

In the construction ofasectional filing-cabinet embodying the features of .my invention I provide the supporting structures or cabinet-sections A of any desirable height and width and provided with any suitable base portion A and top A2, said top being removable for a purpose to appear later herein. Each of these sections A also comprises side walls A7 and A. In order to secure sections A to each other side by side, I form `in the` upper and lower` edges of the side walls A3 andA and 'near the front and rear ends thereof grooves or channels A, each of which grooves coincides with a similar groove A6 in the inner face of the wall, within which grooves lie integral` clamping-yokes, the middle portion A7 of each of'said yokes lying in the groove A7 "andthe arms or side members A8 thereof being forced into the grooves Ai in the walls of adjacent sections A. The top A2 is removed to permit the insertion of these clampingyokes at the upper ends of adjacent sections A, said top being replaced and suitably secured in position when the clamping-yokes have been forced into their grooves. In this `pose which will hereinafter appear.

manner anj,7 desired number of sections may be connected side by side.

At suitable intervals upon the inner face of each of the side walls A3 and A* are fixed pairs of guide-.bars A7 and A1, each pair of bars forming between them a groove A, for a pur- Bars A12 extend across the forward sideof each section A from the wall A3 to the wall A4 to close the space which would otherwise appear between the drawers of the sections.

Each section A of the cabinet is adapted to contain one or more filing-drawers B, arranged to slide upon the bars A9, each of which drawers I have shown as `having in this instance a Wooden front and rear end and sheetmetal'sides and bottom, the front comprising afixed portion B and a drop-front B2, pivotally connected to said fixed portion by means of the hinges B3. The drop-front B2 has fixed upon its outer face a handle B, and upon its inner face near each of its side edges saiddropfront bears an ear B5, for a purpose to be hereinafter mentioned. Thesides and bottom of the drawer are formed of two pieces of sheet metal, each bent to form a side B6 and a portion B7 of the bottom, to the rear ends of which sides andV bottom portions is secured in any suitable manner the wooden end B8. Each of the sides B6 has near its forward end an elongated slot B9, extending longitudinally of said vside and having at its inner end a pocket B70.

A link B11 is pivotally connected at one of its ends to each of the ears B5 and has at its opposite end a stud B12., adapted to slide within the slot B9 and lie in the pocket B1". The stud Bl2 when resting within the pocket Blo tends to hold the drop-front B2 in its upright closed position, a pull upon the drop-front being sufcient, however, to withdraw said stud from the pocket. The length of the slot B9 forms a limit for the downward pivotal movement of the drop-front B2. A space is provided between the adjacent edges ofthe bottom portions B7 of the drawer to receive the lockingrod B13 and the downwardly-projecting portions o'f the follower, to be'hereinafter described. This locking-rod B13 is secured` at its forward end to the fixed portion B' of the drawer-front and at its rear end to the end B of the drawer. A stop-bar B, extending transversely of the drawer beneatlithe bottom thereof, has a recess Bl5 at a point coincidlng with the space between the adjacent edges of the bottom portions B".l

In order that the drawers B may be almost wholly withdrawn from the cabinet to give free access to their contents, I provide for each drawer a slide-frame C, comprising the transverse end pieces C', recessed in their upper faces at C2 to coincide with the space between the adjacent edges of the bottom portions B7 and the longitudinal side members C, formed of channel-iron, one web, C, of each of saidchannel-irons lying within the slot or space A11 between the' bars A9 and A1", which bars guide and support said slide-frame C. 4Extending across the front of the section immediately behind each of the` bars A12 is a stop-bar C5, adapted to be engaged by the rear end piece C' of the slide-frame C to limit the forward movement of the latter. The front end piece C is adapted to be engaged by the stop-bar Bu of the drawer B to limit the forward movement of said drawer with reference to the slide-frame C, rubber bufers (J upon the inner face of said end piece C' cushioning any shock occasioned by the engagement of said end piece and said stop-bar.

Each drawer B is provided with a follower D, which in this embodiment of my invention is represented as being formed of sheet metal. wardly from the body portion of the follower D and is perforated to receive the locking-rod B13. At its lower edge the follower D has a base D2, formed integral with said follower, said base being provided with an integral downwardly-extending ear D3, perforated to receive the locking-rod B, said base also having an opening D4 for the reception of the end of a locking-spring D5, secured to the rear side of the follower D. This locking-spring D5 is forked at its 'lower end to engage thelockingrod B13, the tendency of said locking-spring.

being to tilt the follower bodily forward, thereby binding the locking-rod within the perforation of the ear D"x and locking the follower in position upon saidrod.

WhenV it is desired to examine or change the contents of a drawer, ythe handle B4 is grasped and the drawer pulled. forward upon the guidebars A9 and the slide-frame C, the drop-front B2 moving forward and downward upon the hinges B3, and thereby facilitating the inspection'of les within the drawer. Continued outward movement of the drawer brings the stop-bar B upon the under side of the drawer in contact with the front end piece C' of the An integral ear D' extends down-` slide-frame, causing said frame to move forward upon the guide-bars A and Alo until its rear end piece C engages the stop-bar C5 near the forward side of the section. The drawer is now almost wholly withdrawn from the cabinet and, if desired, may be lifted from its slide-frame C and removed from said cabinet.

I am aware that various changes might be made in the construction herein shown without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the specific details herein illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a cabinet, in combination, two side walls; a pair of guide-bars on the inner face of each of said side walls, each pair of guidebars forming between them a groove; and a slide frame comprising two side members formed' of channel-iron,l one web of each of said channel-irons being adapted to slide within the groove formed between said guide-bars.

2. In a cabinet, in combination, twol side walls; a pair of guide-bars on the inner face of each of saidlside walls, each pair of guidebars forming between them a groove; a slideframe comprising two side members formed of channel-iron, one web of each of said channel-irons being adapted t0 slide within the groove formed between said guide bars; a drawer loosely su pported'by said slide-frame and having a stop-bar adapted to engage a portion of said slide-frame; and a stop-bar in said cabinet adapted to be engaged by a portion of said slide-frame:

3. In a drawer, in combination, a forward end; a rear end; two sides and a bottom composed of two pieces of sheet metal, each bent to form a side and a portion of the bottom, a space being provided 'between the adjacent edges of the portions forming the bottom; and a locking-rod secured at its ends in said forward end and rear end and lying in the open vspace in said bottom.

4. In a drawer, in combination, -a forward end comprising a iixed portion and a dropfront pivotally connected with said fixed por-l tion; two sides, one of which is provided with a slot; a link pivotally connected with said` drop-front and having a stud adapted to slide within said slot,`the length of said slot forming a limit for the downward pivotal movement of said drop-front; a locking-rod secured IIO within the drawer; and a follower movably mounted upon said locking-rod.

HENRY J. HUENING.v

Witnesses:

L. L. MILLER, Guo. L. CHINDAHL. 

